Tag Archives: Florida

Week 10 – Cocktails Along the River

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One month remains in the march to championship weekend. Teams are beginning to feel the pressure and drop games they really shouldn’t.

Oklahoma has lost its safety net and Notre Dame is now playing for bowl positioning. Nebraska and Texas once again proved that the experts occasionally look at the name on the front instead of the facts when making their preseason picks.

The big boys are all off this weekend (except Clemson plays Wofford). The nation should turn its gaze to the Sunshine State. The game that used to mean something will be interesting as Miami visits Florida St. The Cocktail Party will decide the SEC East. I still like Florida, but I’ve been wrong this season before. And kudos to ABC/ESPN for properly making SMU at Memphis the prime-time game. Oregon lines up for its big test at USC. Should be a great day to watch college football.

Last week my Vegas 5 went 2-3 dropping me to 24-21. I need to get better if I want to stay above water. In Top 25/SEC, I went 9-9 putting me at 110-91 for the year.

This week I take Florida (+6.5) against Georgia. I like Utah (-3) at Washington and the Under (58.5) when Miss St goes to Arkansas. I want the Over (47) for Virginia at North Carolina and Hawaii (-2.5) against Fresno St.

Where’s your action?

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Week 1 – The Calm

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Week 1 opens with hope for all teams. The harsh reality is that after this weekend, nearly half the teams will be unofficially eliminated from playoff contention. A path exists for Group of 5 to make the playoffs, but it is highly unlikely. Any Power 5 school that runs the table would be in the conversation, but let’s face it, we all know that there are really about a dozen worth considering as toe finally meets leather.

Last year was good to me at the book, but unfortunately my school did not finish the season with a win. Each season witnesses its own questions and injury issues. All teams must find their answers and hopefully dodge the injury bug. The pre-season podcasts are posted on The Football page. This year we went with a condensed format that we feel worked. Let us know what you think.

Thursday kicks us off. Clemson will venture into the great unknown that will be Georgia Tech’s offense. It’ll be interesting to see what the Jackets run this season. My sneaky good game that night is UCLA travelling to Cincinnati (a great place to watch a game). The Holy War between Utah and BYU closes the night. I’ve been to one of those and believe me, they don’t particularly care for each other. Friday gives us the Colorado v Colorado St game and a Power 5 match up of Oregon St v Oklahoma St, but I’m more interested in Utah St @ Wake Forest.

The Saturday slate, to me at least, lacks the oomph that some of the more recent season openers had. Granted the sloppiness of Miami v Florida and Arizona @ Hawaii did entertain, but that’s what Week 0 is for. Oregon v Auburn has to be the highlight and I for one think it’ll be a great game. Sunday has Houston @ Oklahoma while Monday is ND @ Louisville. The former should be good while the latter a snooze fest.

Let’s start the season with a solid Vegas 5. For those of you who are new to my Vegas 5, it’s the five games I would take in Vegas this week. I expect Alabama (-33.5) to cover. I’m taking Vandy (+22) and the points. I like the Over (51.5) when Boise St travels to Florida St. I’ll take Cincinnati (-3) to cover over UCLA. And finally, Utah St (+5.5) over Wake Forest.

Who’d you have?

Bye Week

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It’s bye week here at The Blog. That means a full day of watching whatever game strikes me at the time.

I thought the Ohio St/Purdue game would be good. I was kinda wrong as it was a blowout. I felt Purdue had a shot and took them in my picks section and they sure delivered. Michigan has established themselves as a true contender while LSU exposed Miss St as overly one-dimensional. Washington St just may take the PAC 12. Clemson absolutely destroyed NC St. The question there is whether that means the Tigers have awoken or if the Wolfpack were overrated.

This week brings fewer marquee match ups, yet no shortage of great action. The Cocktail Party sees two Top 10 teams for the first time in a decade. I’m a Georgia lean on that one, but I think Florida could sneak out with the win if the Dawgs let them hang around. Iowa travels to Penn St. I think the Hawkeyes are legit contenders for the Big 10 West. Washington St will take the next step if they can handle Stanford.

Last week’s Vegas 5 could’ve gone better. I hit 2-3 to move to 18-21-1. Top 25/SEC went 11-7 moving me to 94-87 for the year. I’m gonna need to start hitting quick if I want to make a move.

This week’s Vegas 5 starts for me with Syracuse (+2.5) hosting NC St. I like the Over (64.5) in the Kansas St/Oklahoma game. I’ll go with the Under (70.5) in the Bama opponent Sun Belt game between Arkansas St and Louisiana. UNLV (+3) is my pick against San Jose St. Lastly, I’ll take Iowa (+6) against Penn St.

Who’s your pick?

You’re a Daisy If You Do

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Much like the classic line from Doc Holiday, perhaps we should have a spelling contest.

What we learned about the top team in the nation last week was the third team defense needs to work on tackling drills and it was hot in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The biggest matchup of the day witnessed a peculiar play call as Ohio State took the driver’s seat in the Big 10. Clemson got a scare from Syracuse while watching their QB room shrink. Miss State has inexplicably forgotten how to play offense. And the PAC 12 continues to entertain. Oh, the reports of Washington’s demise may have been erroneous, let’s see how they handle LA this Saturday.

The Red River Shootout finds itself once again amid the deep-fried Texas State Fair. They even have fried Coke. I got nothing. It’s the 10th anniversary of the classic 3-2 Auburn/Miss St game. Exciting! The once must watch TV FSU/Miami game should be a yawner. The sneaky good game of the week may be San Diego St on the blue field @ Boise St. My prime-time viewing will begin with UK @ aTm before flipping over to the PAC 12 after dark and MWC games.

My pics continue to live in Bizzaro World. I went 2-3 in the Vegas 5 again. MTSU going for 2 and the win cost me the Over. In top 25/SEC action, I had another tough week of 8-12 and sit at 70-54for the season.

This week’s Vegas 5 starts with the Over (56.5) when Alabama visits Arkansas. I like South Florida (-15) against UMass. Surely Illinois (-5) will cover @ Rutgers. I’m leaning LSU (-2.5) @ Florida. And I feel an Over (60) in the Oklahoma/Texas game.

Where’s your picks?

Week 13 – Bragging Rights

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We’ve reached the end. This is the last week of the regular season and when the bulk of the instate rivalries are played. The helmets lined up across from one another this week exemplify everything there is about family gatherings and fellowship. Or maybe not.

The bitterness of the Egg Bowl kicks off the excitement. While Miss St should win, Ole Miss has been getting solid play at the QB position. Only the die hard fans will watch FSU play Florida. The Noles should have the edge, but who knows this year? A sneaky good match up will be Virginia and Virginia Tech. Louisville and Kentucky go at it again and I wonder if the Cats can slow down Lamar Jackson. The reigning Heisman winner is having an amazing season that very few seem to be paying attention to since the rest of the team is down. Indiana at Purdue could provide some sneaky fireworks as well with the game picked with just a FG difference. Battles in Tennessee, North Carolina and Nevada will be for pure bragging rights while Fresno St and Boise St will meet in back to back weeks. It’s next week that counts.

Now onto those crazy instate games that mean everything (and one border war). The Apple Cup decides the PAC12 North. Washington can play the spoiler and send Stanford to the game against USC. I’m putting Clemson on upset alert at South Carolina. Ohio State travels north to take on Michigan. While the B1G title game is set, this is a must win for the Buckeyes if they want to sneak into the playoffs in case of chaos. Same for Georgia going to Tech. They don’t need chaos, but they have to win. USF and UCF battle for the middle of Florida and the winner takes on Memphis for the chance to go to a New Years Six bowl. UCF just looks too strong. Alabama travels to the Plains to meet Auburn to decide the SEC West. It will be a classic.

I took a bath last week and went 1-4 in the Vegas 5. Thank you LSU for saving me. I go into the last week of the regular season at 34-24-2. Against The Spread in Top 25/SEC I sit at 157-112.

The Vegas 5 this week is very tricky. Rivalries and finales are tough to predict as this is the week that some guys play for the last time ever. I’ll take Pitt (+13.5) as they host Miami. The Canes play dangerously at times. South Carolina (+14) will keep close when Clemson visits. I want the Over (47.5) in the Apple Cup when Washington and Washington St tangle. I’m going Under (74.5) when Arizona meets Arizona St. That’s a lot of points in a rivalry game. And Oregon (-25) covers when they host Oregon St in the Civil War.

Who are you taking?

NCAA Week 0

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Week 0 is in the books and college football is here. Nothing surprising happened. Stanford rolled, Hawaii struggled on the east coast, and Colorado St showed why the solid teams in the Group of 5 are better than the bottom teams of the Power 5.

So, it’s game week! I’ll have a rooting interest in the Bama v FSU, of course, but from a betting perspective I’d stay away. But that doesn’t mean I don’t see some games of interest that our friends in the desert might offer something worth playing.

Let me preface this by saying Auburn is a team that can make a legitimate run at titles, but favored over Georgia Southern by 34? I don’t see them covering against a solid Sun Belt team that gives most everyone fits.

Michigan is replacing an awful lot from last year. Despite the immense potential of those players and the fact that numerous Gators are suspended, I’m taking Florida straight up. Those not as bold as me are welcome to look at the spread which favors Michigan by 3 ½.

 

Quick hits: I like Maryland (+18) and the points against Texas, South Alabama (+24) against Mississippi, and Texas A&M (+3 ½) against UCLA.

 

Who are your picks this week?